Grilling Without Meat: The Vegetarian BBQ That Costs Half

A vegetarian BBQ in Switzerland costs about CHF 5–8 per person, while a classic meat-centric grill runs CHF 12–18 before drinks. Halloumi, tofu, corn, peperoni and zucchetti fill a generous grill plate at July 2026 prices — and with marinades from pantry staples, nobody at the table asks where the meat went.

This guide covers the per-person maths, the best-value grill vegetables and how to prep them, a price table across Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Migros and Coop, proteins ranked by cost — and the shopping list for a party of eight.

Why does grilling without meat cost half as much?

Meat is the single most expensive item on a Swiss grill. Beef entrecôte sits at CHF 50–70 per kilo, marinated pork steaks at CHF 18–25, and even a bratwurst costs CHF 2.50–3.50 apiece. Meat is among the priciest categories in the Swiss consumer price basket tracked by the Federal Statistical Office, and a typical meat BBQ plans 350–450 g per adult. That is CHF 8–14 per person before the first side dish reaches the table — the full calculation is in our meat-centric BBQ plan for six.

The vegetarian version swaps that anchor cost for items priced like vegetables — because most of them are vegetables. A plate with 100 g of halloumi (CHF 1.50), half a block of marinated tofu (CHF 0.90), a corn cob (CHF 1.20) and a mix of grilled peperoni, zucchetti and mushrooms (CHF 1.80) lands at roughly CHF 5.40. Add bread and a simple salad and you are at CHF 6.50–8 — still about half the meat version.

Which grill vegetables give the most for your franc?

July is peak Swiss vegetable season, which means the stars of the vegetarian grill are at their annual price floor:

• Corn on the cob (CHF 1.00–1.50 per cob): pre-cooked vacuum packs grill in 10 minutes. Raw cobs are cheaper on Aktion — parboil for 10 minutes, then finish over direct heat with butter and salt.
• Peperoni (CHF 0.80–1.20 each): quarter them, oil lightly, grill skin-side down until blistered. The mixed three-packs at Aldi and Lidl are usually the cheapest per kilo.
• Zucchetti (CHF 0.70–1.00 each): Swiss season peaks right now. Slice lengthwise about 1 cm thick — thinner slices fall through the grate.
• Aubergine (CHF 1.20–1.80 each): cut into rounds, salt for 15 minutes, pat dry, brush with oil. It soaks up marinades better than any other vegetable.
• Mushrooms (CHF 2.20–3.00 per 250 g): large brown champignons hold together directly on the grate; smaller ones go on skewers or into a grill basket.

One prep habit saves both money and stress: cut and marinate everything at home in freezer bags. Vegetables cook in minutes, so a fully prepped box means one relaxed grill session instead of a scramble at the chopping board.

What do vegetarian grill items cost per portion?

Per-portion prices across the five big chains, based on regular shelf and Aktion prices in July 2026:

Which grill protein is cheapest per 20 g of protein?

Protein is where sceptics expect the vegetarian grill to get expensive. It does not — here is the ranking by cost of 20 g of protein, roughly what a solid grill portion delivers:

1. Firm tofu — about CHF 0.80. Around 15 g of protein per 100 g, at CHF 0.55–0.75 per 100 g from discounters. The cheapest grill protein in the country, meat included.
2. Halloumi and grill cheese — CHF 1.20–1.80. Around 22 g of protein per 100 g, so a small portion goes a long way. Lidl and Aldi house brands run 30–40% below branded packs.
3. Cervelat, the meat benchmark — about CHF 1.50. Switzerland's cheapest grill meat at roughly 11–12 g of protein per 100 g; our grill meat price comparison shows the whole ladder above it.
4. Vegetarian sausages — CHF 2.00–2.60. Convenient, but you pay for processing rather than protein. Buy them on Aktion or treat them as a supporting act, not the centrepiece.

In other words, the two cheapest proteins on the whole grill are vegetarian — a pattern that holds far beyond the barbecue, as our guide to plant proteins that beat meat on price shows. Tofu just needs a marinade to shine, which brings us to the pantry.

Which marinades work from pantry staples?

No speciality shopping required — each of these costs around CHF 0.50 per batch and covers a full tray:

• Paprika-garlic: 4 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp sweet paprika, 2 crushed garlic cloves, salt, pepper. Made for halloumi, peperoni and mushrooms.
• Soy-honey: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, grated garlic or ginger, a dash of oil. This is the one that transforms tofu — press the block for 20 minutes, cube it, marinate for at least an hour.
• Lemon-herb: oil, lemon juice, dried oregano or whatever fresh herbs the balcony offers. Best on zucchetti and aubergine.

Tofu rewards patience: pressed and marinated overnight, it grills into something entirely different from the pale cube of its reputation.

How do you scale it to a party of eight?

A realistic shopping list for eight adults: two packs of halloumi (about CHF 8), two blocks of tofu (CHF 4–5), eight corn cobs (CHF 8–10), four peperoni, four zucchetti, two aubergines and 500 g of mushrooms (CHF 9–11 together), plus bread, foil potatoes and marinade staples (CHF 7–8). Total: roughly CHF 38–45, or under CHF 6 per head. The same party with meat at the centre easily clears CHF 100.

1. Skewers stretch the expensive items. Alternate halloumi or tofu cubes with peperoni and zucchetti — suddenly one pack of cheese serves eight.
2. Buy vegetables by the kilo on Aktion. July flyers rotate peperoni and zucchetti constantly; the difference is 30–40% for identical produce.
3. Prep everything before guests arrive. Vegetables grill in minutes, so late prep means a host stuck at the chopping board instead of at the table.
4. One grill basket (often under CHF 10 on Aktion) saves the mushrooms — and the mood.

The hunting is the part Eini takes over: its algorithm tracks the current Aktionen across Coop, Migros, Lidl, Aldi, Denner and Aligro, surfaces halloumi, tofu and seasonal vegetables when they are cheapest, and builds the grocery list around the best prices of the week.